The present invention relates to back constructions for seating units optimally suited to provide a wrinkle-free appearance and that facilitate quick assembly. The present invention further relates to methods of assembly.
Recently, a new chair has been developed by Steelcase that includes a very flexible back construction adapted to flex significantly in the lumbar region of a seated user""s back, and further that is biased in the lumbar region to provide good support to a seated user. The result is a very comfortable back that posturally supports a user as the user moves around in the chair. The back construction characteristically provides excellent postural support and characteristically minimizes shirt pull as a seated user moves between upright and reclined positions. A potential problem is that the back construction flexes to such an extent that it is difficult to eliminate wrinkles and looseness in upholstery covering the back construction in all flexed positions of the back construction, particularly as the back construction is flexed from a deep concave condition where the lumbar region protrudes forwardly, and is flexed toward a more planar condition where the lumbar region is more aligned with the thoracic and pelvic regions of the back construction. During this flexure, there is a significant change in vertical length along a front surface of the back construction as the back construction is flexed. The problem is further compounded by the need to have a competitive chair assembly process that minimizes parts, cost, and labor. Still further, the particular new chair design illustrated herein has a novel and attractive rear appearance of the back construction that, in many circumstances, is desirable not to hide or cover. Thus, an upholstery arrangement is desired that attaches to and is limited primarily to a front surface of the back construction, yet that is secure, durable, and closely retained to the back support structure to prevent looseness and bunching of the covering.
Accordingly, a back for seating unit and related method of assembly are desired that solve the aforementioned problems and have the aforementioned advantages.
In one aspect of the present invention, a seating unit includes a base, a back upright operably supported on the base for movement between an upright position and a reclined position, and a back construction. A back support is attached to the back upright and includes a cushion assembly attached to the back support. The back support also includes a bottom section defining a horizontally extending recessed channel. The cushion assembly includes a stiffened edge flange configured to frictionally engage the recessed channel to retain the cushion assembly to the back support along the bottom section of the back construction. The back support includes a flexible lumbar section that is constructed to flex between different vertical profiles providing different lumbar support. The cushion assembly further includes a back cushion that includes an aesthetic cover that covers at least a front side of the back cushion. The back support includes hooks, and the cushion assembly includes apertures for engaging the hooks for assembly.
In another aspect of the present invention, a seating unit includes a base, a back upright operably supported on the base for movement between an upright position and a reclined position, and a back construction. A back support is attached to the back upright and includes a cushion assembly attached to the back support. The back support includes a bottom section defining a horizontally extending recessed channel. The cushion assembly includes a stiffened edge flange configured to frictionally engage the recessed channel to retain the cushion assembly to the back support along the bottom section of the back construction. The cushion assembly further includes a back cushion and a cushion stiffener attached to the cushion. The cushion stiffener includes downwardly extending strips of material that stiffen lower side edges of the back cushion for edge support.
In another aspect of the present invention, a seating unit includes a base, a back upright operably supported on the base for movement between an upright position and a reclined position, and a back construction. A back support is attached to the back upright and includes a cushion assembly attached to the back support. The back support includes a bottom section defining a horizontally extending recessed channel and the cushion assembly includes a stiffened edge flange configured to frictionally engage the recessed channel to retain the cushion assembly to the back support along the bottom section of the back construction. The cushion assembly further includes a back cushion that includes a cushion stiffener attached to the back cushion. The cushion assembly includes a cover assembly comprising a pull-on sock, and wherein the pull-on sock is stapled to the cushion stiffener after assembly.
In another aspect of the present invention, a seating unit includes a base, a back upright operably supported on the base for movement between an upright position and a reclined position, and a back construction. A back support is attached to the back upright and includes a cushion assembly attached to the back support. The back support includes a bottom section defining a horizontally extending recessed channel and the cushion assembly includes a stiffened edge flange configured to frictionally engage the recessed channel to retain the cushion assembly to the back support along the bottom section of the back construction. The cushion assembly includes a back cushion and further includes a cover assembly constructed to be inverted and assembled onto the back cushion to cover the back cushion. The cover assembly includes a front panel covering a front surface of the back cushion, and further includes a rear panel that covers a rear surface of the back cushion. The rear panel includes fabric that characteristically stretches in a vertical direction at a rate of at least about twice an elongation of the fabric in a horizontal direction.
In another aspect of the present invention, a seating unit includes a base, a back upright operably supported on the base for movement between an upright position and a reclined position, and a back construction. A back support is attached to the back upright, and includes a cushion assembly attached to the back support. The back support further includes a bottom section defining a horizontally extending recessed channel and the cushion assembly includes a stiffened edge flange configured to frictionally engage the recessed channel to retain the cushion assembly to the back support along the bottom section of the back construction. The cushion assembly includes a back cushion and further includes a cover assembly constructed to be inverted and assembled onto the back cushion to cover the back cushion. The cover assembly includes a lower panel attached to a bottom edge of the rear panel, the lower panel including high-stretch material that elongates at least about 100 percent in a vertical direction. The lower panel includes material forming the stiffened edge flange.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a seating unit includes a base, a back upright operably supported on the base for movement between an upright position and a reclined position, and a back construction. A back support is attached to the back upright and includes a cushion assembly attached to the back support. The back support includes a bottom section and the cushion assembly includes an elastically stretchable lower edge section stretched and attached to the bottom section of the back construction to pull a lower part of the cushion assembly downwardly. The cushion assembly further includes a back cushion and a cushion stiffener, the cushion stiffener including downwardly extending strips of material that stiffen the back cushion for edge support.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a construction for a seating unit includes a support shell configured to support a seated person. The support shell has a bottom section defining a horizontally extending recessed channel. A cushion assembly is attached to the support shell and includes a cushion and a cover assembly covering the cushion. The cover assembly has an elastic section with a stiffened edge flange configured to frictionally engage the recessed channel to retain the cushion assembly to the support shell along the edge section of the support shell. The cushion assembly further includes a back cushion and a cushion stiffener. The cushion stiffener includes downwardly extending strips of material that stiffen the back cushion for edge support.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a seating unit includes a base, a back upright supported on the base, and a back support including relatively stiff thoracic and pelvic sections pivoted to the back upright at top and bottom connections, respectively. The seating unit further includes a flexible lumbar section located between the thoracic and pelvic sections. The back support includes a first top connector and a first bottom connector and a cushion assembly covering at least part of a front surface of the back support. The cushion assembly includes a second top connector engaging the first top connector on the back support and includes a second bottom connector engaging the first bottom connector on the back support. One of the first top and bottom connectors include a horizontally extending recessed channel and one of the second top and bottom connectors includes a stiffened edge flange configured to frictionally engage the recessed channel to retain the cushion assembly to the back support at a bottom thereof. The other of the first top and bottom connectors include at least one aperture and the other of the second top and bottom connectors include at least one hook engaging the at least one aperture.
In another aspect of the present invention, a back construction for a seating unit includes a back support shell shaped to support a seated user""s back. The back support shell has a bottom edge with a horizontally elongated recessed channel formed proximate the bottom edge and includes hooks. A cover assembly covering a front of the back support shell includes an elongated stiffened bottom flange configured to fit into the recessed channel. The cover assembly further includes a cushion assembly incorporating a cushion stiffener with apertures engaging the hooks.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a cover assembly includes an upholstered front panel of aesthetic material shaped to cover a front of a back of a seating unit. A rear panel is attached to the front panel along three adjacent edges of the rear panel. The front and rear panels form a sock that can be pulled over a cushion to cover the cushion. The rear panel is made in part from stretchable material, so that the rear panel can be stretched toward a fourth edge on the rear panel and secured along the fourth edge while the rear panel is in a stretched condition. A cushion is attached to the front panel and a cushion stiffener is attached to the cushion and has downwardly extending strips that stiffen the cushion for edge support.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a seating unit includes a base, a back upright operably supported on the base for movement between an upright position and a reclined position. A back construction includes a back support attached to the back upright and further includes a cushion assembly attached to the back support. The back support includes a bottom section defining a horizontally extending recessed channel and the cushion assembly includes a stiffened edge flange configured to frictionally engage the recessed channel to retain the cushion assembly to the back support along the bottom section of the back construction. The back support includes hooks, and the cushion assembly includes a cushion stiffener with apertures for engaging the hooks for assembly.
These and other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to a person of ordinary skill upon reading the following description and claims together with reference to the accompanying drawings.